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Huh? I agree with SCIN that what this guy is doing doesn't have a thing to do with pulling on small holds. However, I completely disagree with Captain that his strengths are more suited for trad climbing. Lever strength has very little in common with OW or mantle strength. Both are all technique. OW roofs are the only place that what you're saying would apply, and even then the benefits of core strength are far outweighed by the benefits of technique, as your feet are usually locked solid. The place where core strength applies the most in climbing is steep, small handhold / bad foothold climbing. Trad climbing, unless its a roof crack, becomes way more like sport climbing movement when its steep.

Besides that, who knows what size holds he could hold on to? Most of finger strength is genetic. Ever seen Ivan Greene? He's built just like that guy and can hold onto invisible holds...

John Gill is one example of a gymnast whose had the kind of strength that this guy does who discovered climbing, and he was known, as we all know, for his explosive and powerful brand of bouldering. I wouldn't necessarily say this guys fitness would not be applicable to sport climbing/bouldering.

I believe it's safe to say, with the obvious determination and conviction demonstrated, if this boy took an interest in climbing, he would be most successful.

512OW wrote: Besides that, who knows what size holds he could hold on to? Most of finger strength is genetic. Ever seen Ivan Greene? He's built just like that guy and can hold onto invisible holds...

Midgets and leprechauns should be left out of all serious climbing discussions.

boy??? want ya'll mean by you people??? I came in third place in the Ford Punt Pass and Kick competition in 1966, I over-came my social-economic status and was too young to be associated with the intelligentsia's honky guilt trip and simply delivered the goods- YOU can do what you want to do and or be when YOU decide to do what you have to do to do it...

captain static wrote:You are right Ray. The gymnastic strengths probably apply more to trad than to sport / bouldering. This is going to be a not so subtle spray. I was considered a "weakling" when I was young before my family moved to Chas., W.Va. When we moved @ age 10 my parents enrolled me into a gymnastics program. Within a few years I was being coached by both the coach of the WVU gymnastics team and an Olympic coach and won the AAU All-Around Gymnast at the W.Va. meet. (W.Va gymnastic is very competitive, Mary Lou Retton was a W.Va. gymnast.) At age 15 we moved back to Cleveland and at age 16 I was introduced to climbing at Outward Bound. During college I continued to do both gymnastics and climbing. My college years were the height of gymnastics strengths (levers, handstands on the rings etc.) Such strengths are basically pushing strengths good for mantleing & OW. In retrospect on HCB I realized that was a time in my life when I was at the peak of my gymnastic strengths and had just mastered the trad leading skills. When I finally acceded to the path of sport climbing I had to work considerably to develop the crimping/pulling/jug hauling effort required for RRG.

Agree quite a bit with several above and the Capt.'s evaluation. Enjoying your social group is part of any activity. With fewer choices given, city youth chose basketball and possibly weight training sessions. But there are always those who stand out above the others.
As said, on any given day among a dozen boulderers, there may be one or 2 who are seriously participating. Much like kids who first snowboard. One does half pipe tricks and 11 others are on their knees or ass watching most the day. Capt. Static points out the popular link to gymnastics. Check back and recall that the 'father of bouldering' John Gill, was a gymnast. I feel that my own choice as a kid to be a gymnast and then a pole vaulter, helped lead me to climbing. All put the skill responsibility first upon the individual; and the camradarie of team or social group comes later. Plenty of my former gymnasts took to climbing very easily because of their excellent training self discipline, strength to body weight ratio, lack of fear of falling through the air and balance beam-like footwork. I'd guess that a few of our local climbers have similiar backgrounds in gymnastics or dance.

Odub dances a little bit when he raps

Crankmas wrote:Odub dances a little bit when he raps

I was also a gymnast and pole vaulter...

I don't know what you guys think but between the bendy girl and the muscle guy I vote for the bendy girl climbing harder than the muscle guy...

Me takes the bendy girl any time for a climbing partner, that I gotta admit. Somehow I think she would be much more fun to hang out with all day.